


Visitors

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Jurassic Park III (2001), Primeval
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crossover, Drama, M/M, T-Rex - Freeform, anomaly in the arc, visiting paleontologists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-03 21:24:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6627043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a T.Rex goes on a rampage in the ARC who better to help than two people who have survived a dinosaur infested island?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Visitors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [seraphina_snape](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seraphina_snape/gifts).



> Set in series 2 of Primeval. Set after the events of Jurassic Park III. Written for seraphina_snape’s prompt at the Fandom Free for All. Originally posted to Livejournal in 2008.

**5pm. Conference: “Palaeontology – A Dying Science?”**

Alan Grant and Billy Brennan stood on the podium before the packed auditorium, smiling stiffly as applause echoed around the room. Alan wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible and Billy just wanted to sit down – his shoulder and back were starting to throb terribly. But they still had half an hour of no doubt tedious questions before they could escape.

One of the admin staff came to their rescue, bringing two chairs onto the stage that they gratefully sank down onto. Billy’s beaming smile almost sent the flustered woman off the edge of the stage. Alan tried to keep his own amusement in check.

At an unnoticed signal by Alan hands immediately shot up and one journalist leaped to his feet. “Brian King. National Geographic. Given your recent experiences,” his gaze naturally enough fell on the scars on Billy’s arms which he resolutely refused to cover up with a long sleeved shirt, “how do you justify advising the UN to keep the dinosaurs on the islands alive?”

Alan kept his annoyance to himself, mostly, and tried to answer as succinctly as possible. “Firstly, the UN asked for my recommendations along with that of Dr Brennan, Dr Sattler, Dr Malcolm and various other interested parties. We all agreed that, in the words of Dr Malcolm, because life had found a way, we had no right to destroy it. The Islands will continue to be contained with a high military presence – a joint UN/NATO task force is being created to deal specifically with the threat these creatures pose…”

“But flying dinosaurs. They can’t be contained, can they?” another journalist interrupted.

“Dinosaurs don’t actually…” Billy tried to explain, but he too was cut off.

“So you’re happy for more deaths on your conscience?”

Alan looked aghast. “The blame for any deaths lies squarely with those who created these imitations of dinosaurs in the first place. But they are here, now, and we need to find a way for humans and dinosaurs to live side by side.”

“Jack Cooper. BBC. How sure are you that all the creatures have been contained on the island? Over the last year there have been reports both here in London and in other parts of the country of dinosaurs attacking people. Could these have come from Isla Nublar or Isla Sorna?”

Billy smiled. “There are hundreds of reports of the Loch Ness Monster, too.” Some laughter rippled through the audience, but a surprisingly large number of those present were taking the matter very seriously. Billy glanced over at Alan who seemed equally puzzled. They definitely needed to read some local papers; clearly something unusual had been going on this side of the Pond. That must be why Professor Cutter had invited them both to dinner tonight.

“So you think we have nothing to worry about?” another journalist asked, dark brown hair flopping over his eyes.

“Let me put it this way,” Alan replied, “I don’t expect to see a T.Rex in London any time soon.”

**4pm. The ARC. Lester’s Office**

“I’m sorry,” Lester was saying, “it seems to me that you want to bring even more people onto the Project?”

Cutter glared defiantly while Stephen, who was stood next to him, attempted to look innocent. “Dr Grant and Dr Brennan have had hands on contact with the Jurassic Park dinosaurs. Their input could prove invaluable.”

“And they just happen to be in town for a conference?”

“Yes. I was supposed to attend as well…”

“But for once in your life you had your priorities straight. Wonders will never cease.” Lester straightened up some of the files on his desk, appearing to ignore the two men all together. Cutter fidgeted first and Lester gave himself an imaginary pat on the back.

“Well?” Cutter asked.

“You’ve already asked then haven’t you?”

Stephen smiled to himself as Cutter looked unrepentant.

“I didn’t think this was an opportunity we could afford to miss.”

“Very well. But they have to sign the Official Secrets Act before they step a foot inside the building.”

“We’re taking them out to dinner, I’ll make sure they sign before dessert.”

“Yes, you do that,” Lester replied, ignoring the sarcasm. He stood up and walked over to the window looking down upon the Anomaly Detector. Stephen was forced to bite his lower lip to stop from laughing at the face Cutter pulled behind Lester’s back.

“What is the idiotic boy doing now?”

Connor was running around excitedly, dragging cables and various pieces of electronic equipment between two desks he’d set up next to the Detector. Abby and Jenny were standing nearby, ostensibly there to help, but really having their own conversation.

“He thinks he knows a way to predict when and where an Anomaly is going to open,” Stephen replied, moving to stand next to Cutter. All three men stood watching Connor as he got even more excited, babbling away to Jenny and Abby who were just as obviously ignoring him all together.

“How does it work?”

“Something to do with the strength of the original signal,” Stephen replied. He would have said more, having been accosted by Connor first thing this morning, but Cutter had moved even closer to him, his hot breath tickling the hairs on the back of Stephen’s neck. Lester’s eyes darted to the right and then back down again.

“I see you two have kissed and made up”.

Stephen blushed ever so slightly, and Cutter took great delight in pressing even closer to him. “We’ve worked out our differences, yes. Problem?”

“As long as you take our your frustrations in the bedroom I couldn’t care less.” He turned his back on the Detector and Connor’s antics. “Have you told Jenny?”

“Now why would I have done that?” Cutter asked.

“She needs to be informed of any changes to the team dynamic.”

“Our sex life isn’t any one else’s business,” said Stephen.

“Yes it is. As long as you work for me…”

“Cutter!” Connor screamed, running into Lester’s office as if a Raptor was hot on his heels.

“This is a place of work, not a playground,” Lester snapped. “Knock before entering. And where the hell is Leek anyway?”

“Sorry, sorry, but it works, it really works.”

“You can predict where the next anomaly is going to open?” Stephen asked. He moved towards Connor; the younger man’s excitement was infectious.

“Yes,” Connor replied breathlessly. He clutched at his side. Maybe three slices of pizza at lunch had been a bit much.

“How sure are you?” Cutter asked. This could be a monumental breakthrough for the Project but Cutter was well aware of just how over excited Connor could get. They needed to be taking less chances, not more.

“90%. Or, well, maybe 80%, um 60%”.

Lester sighed and went to sit back down at his desk. “Hardly a resounding achievement, then. Practically useless.”

Connor looked deflated.

“It’s a great start, Connor,” Cutter said. “I’m sure with a bit more work you can predict where the next one is going to open.”

“That’s just it, though,” Connor said, eyes travelling passed Cutter to settle on something high up near the top of the main room. “I’m 100% sure where the next anomaly is going to open.”

Stephen followed Connor’s gaze and took an involuntary step backwards. Lester stood up from his seat in alarm. Cutter, oblivious and with his back to the main room, was only focused on Connor.

“100%? You’re sure? We’ll have to wait till the Detector goes off…”

As if by magic the Detector’s alarm began to echo around the building.

“Where do you think it is, then?” Cutter asked, preparing to walk down to the main room and check the data for himself. Connor’s next word stopped him short.

“Here.”

* * * * *

Jenny and Abby stood frozen to the spot as the anomaly opened almost directly above their heads.

“An aerial predator?” Jenny asked cautiously. She’d read the team’s previous report only that morning. Leek was only alive today because Helen Cutter had saved him, and blown up a building in the process.

Abby shrugged. “Probably – but it’s only happened once like that, we can’t really say for certain. Something could just…fall through at any second.”

“We shouldn’t really hang around then, should we?”

“No,” Abby replied, backing up. She glanced back up to Lester’s office and saw the others hurrying onto the walkway.

“Get the Special Forces!” Cutter yelled “We’re right behind you.”

Abby nodded and she and Jenny ran for the door. Jenny’s shoes nearly made her trip and she paused to take them off.

“Jenny!” Abby cried from the doorway. But the sound was muffled as something incredibly large, incredibly ferocious and incredibly familiar dropped from the anomaly onto the floor. The whole building seemed to buckle under its weight.

“Is that...” Jenny started to ask, words for once failing her. Worms and sabre-tooth’s were one thing, but this, this was…

“A T.Rex,” Connor breathed in excitement.

“We need to move, Jenny,” Abby hissed, grabbing at Jenny’s arm. They both turned to look up the walkway – there was no way the others would make it down it in one piece. It was up to them to get help.

They vanished through the door to the main room and dashed through to the gym where the Special Forces were more likely to be found, just as the Tyrannosaurus Rex roared. If any members of staff hadn’t already realised the danger they were in before, they certainly did now.

“Back up, back up!” Stephen shouted, grabbing an awe-struck Connor by the back of his shirt and pulling him along. For the moment the creature was facing away from them, obviously trying to work out what had just happened.

As all four of them piled back into Lester’s office, Stephen looked around. There was nowhere for them to hide.

“Whose stupid idea was it to make this place out of glass?” he demanded.

“It was an aesthetic decision,” Lester replied.

“Move the desk before it turns around,” Cutter instructed. “We’ll have a better chance if it can’t see us.”

They did as he said, Stephen taking extreme pleasure in the look on Lester’s face as he swept everything on to the floor. They tripped the desk over and pushed it against the window and then sank down behind it. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do for now.

“And you’re sure it won’t know we’re here?” Lester asked.

“They hunt by movement,” Connor said. “As long as they can’t see us or we’re still, we should be okay.”

Lester nodded, though he wasn’t the least bit reassured.

“At least Abby and Jenny got away,” Stephen said, bumping Connor with his shoulder. “They’ll get some help.”

“Right,” Connor replied, smiling back weakly. “I can see a couple of problems though.”

“Only a couple?” Lester asked as the T.Rex roared again. This time breaking glass and metallic screeches followed the sound.

“There goes the Anomaly Detector,” Cutter informed them, peeking over the edge of the desk.

“What problems?” Stephen asked Connor. He knew the best way for everyone to stay alert and focused was for them to form a plan. The first stage of which was clearly setting out what problems they had to overcome.

“Well,” Connor replied, “any weapon they use that’s big enough to take down a T.Rex…”

“Who says we’re going to kill it…”

Stephen turned to look at his lover incredulously. “Raptors are one thing. This, we kill. No arguments.”

Cutter opened his mouth to do just that, when he saw how tightly Stephen’s hands were balled into fists. He’d clearly had enough near death experiences for the time being.

“As I was saying,” Connor continued, “any weapon big enough to take down a T.Rex, in here, would probably destroy the room, and us. And if we had enough tranquilliser to take it down unharmed, which I doubt, how do we get it back through the anomaly?”

They were good points and for the moment they had the men stumped. Stephen took the opportunity to peer out over the desk and then sank down quickly.

“Well, one problem’s been solved for us.”

“Which one?” Cutter asked, his fingers gently brushing against Stephen’s in silent apology. Stephen squeezed them back to signal his acceptance.

“The anomaly’s closed.”

“What?” Without thinking he and Connor both stood up to see for themselves. Before Stephen could pull them back down the T.Rex roared, the sound grating on all their nerves and signalling that it had seen their movement.

Far quicker than they would have imagined the T.Rex lunged forward. Thankfully for the team its tail and legs got caught in some of the cables Connor had lain out earlier, stumbling and giving Cutter and Connor the perfect opportunity to duck back down behind the desk.

“Oh, yes, very well done,” Lester muttered. “Now what?”

* * * *

“A T.Rex? _Jesus,”_ Captain Atwood swore as Abby finished briefing him. The soldiers who been working out in the gym were now pulling on their vests and standing alert, ready for orders. Through the window in the door Abby could just make out the people evacuating as Jenny had commanded. “Fully grown?”

“I’d say so,” Abby replied. “And it has the others trapped in Lester’s office.”

“Any way to get it back through the anomaly?”

“I doubt it. The anomaly opened pretty high up – without a ramp or something…” She trailed off doubtfully.

“No, far too dangerous. We need to kill it.” A ferocious roar reverberated around the building. “Before it decides to snack on anyone. Rogers, Frost, get to the armoury – the biggest weapon you can find, explosives…”

“But you can’t just blow it up!” Jenny interrupted. “Cutter and the others…”

“I’m not planning on blowing it up there,” Atwood replied. “We need to get it out of there, since they can’t leave, that much is clear. Simpson, do some reconnaissance…Miss Maitland, how do these things hunt?”

“Movement, I think – keep out of its line of sight and you should be fine.”

“Very well. Go”.

Jenny looked after the retreating soldier. “Will she be all right?”

“Simpson’s served in Afghanistan. She knows how to handle herself. Now, normally I’d tell you two to evacuate with the others, but if past form is anything to go by you’ll just ignore me, so just try and keep out of trouble. Freeman,” he addressed the last remaining soldier, “come with me. We’ll set up a perimeter and a mobile unit outside.” The two men dashed off leaving Jenny and Abby alone. It was almost peaceful save for the occasional roar and the sound of metal crunching. They had no way of knowing if the others were okay, but they had too much to do to worry about that.

“So what now?” Jenny asked. She felt completely out of her depth but she was very impressed by how well Abby was handling herself.

“We need to get to Cutter’s office,” Abby replied after a moment. “I need a phone book.”

* * * *

“Dr Grant! Dr Grant!” the shrill voice of the receptionist accosted Alan and Billy as they tried to slip unnoticed into the street.

“So close, and yet so far,” Alan muttered out the side of his mouth. Billy grinned.

“You know you love it really,” the younger man teased. Alan rolled his eyes.

“Ah, the innocence of youth.”

They both turned back to where the receptionist was holding the phone at arm’s length.

“There’s an urgent phone call for you, Dr Grant.”

“Oh? Did they give a name?”

“A Miss Maitland. She says she works with a, uh, Professor Cutter. Say’s it’s a matter of life and death, whatever that’s supposed to mean”. She rolled her eyes as Alan took the phone from her. Billy strayed closer, but not close enough to hear what was being said on the other side of the line.

“Miss Maitland, it’s Alan Grant…Yes, that’s right…Anomalies? No, he didn’t…I’m afraid I don’t quite understand…” Alan’s eyes opened wide and he nearly dropped the phone. Billy approached him in alarm.

“Alan, are you okay? What’s going on?”

“And where are you? We’re on our way.” Alan hung up abruptly.

“Alan, what…?”

But Alan waved his questions away, turning instead to the receptionist.

“We need to hire a car. Now.”

* * * *

“And this Dr Grant’s an expert is he?” Jenny asked as Abby hung up the phone. Abby nodded, distractedly trying to think of the next move. “What kind of expert?”

“You must have seen it on the news – Jurassic Park And the second island – where all the genetically engineered dinosaurs are?”

Jenny nodded vaguely. “Only a bit,” she said. “I never really took much notice of dinosaur news till now.” She smiled grimly.

Abby tiredly smiled back. “Dr Grant and Billy Brennan have both been there and survived. If anyone can help us, it’s these two. Cutter and Stephen were supposed to be taking them out to dinner tonight.”

A series of roars made them both jump. It didn’t seem possible but the T.Rex was becoming even more agitated. They needed to act, and act fast if they were all going to get out of this in one piece.

“Well, then, I hope you’re right,” Jenny told her. “Because I doubt the others are going to stay safe for much longer.”

* * * * *

Inside Lester’s office the four men covered their heads as the glass walls shattered around them. The T.Rex had finally got close enough to do them, and the room, some real damage.

“It’s becoming agitated,” Cutter explained as he brushed shards of glass from Stephen’s hair.

“He’s not the only one,” Connor muttered.

“We need to find a way to draw it outside,” Stephen said. “The Special Forces will have a better chance out in the open than if they’re all crammed in here.”

Cutter nodded his agreement. “Right, so what would make him leave?”

“Bait?” Connor suggested.

“Are you volunteering?” Lester asked, looking as if he wouldn’t be adverse to the prospect. Connor frowned.

“No one’s going to play bait,” Cutter said decisively. He risked a look at the T.Rex which was storming around the room, its tail doing as much damage as its feet.

“What about the double doors?” Stephen suggested. He hunched back on his heels, his hand on Cutter’s arm to keep him balanced. “They’re big enough for it to get through with minimal damage.”

Cutter eyed the doors Stephen was referring to. They were large metal contraptions that took up nearly one side of the room; they were usually only opened when it proved prudent for their vehicles to be kept nearer than the underground garage.

“It’s as good a plan as any,” Cutter agreed.

“There’s only one _slight_ problem,” Lester said.

“What?” Stephen asked.

“Those doors can only be opened from the inside.”

“Of course they can,” Connor muttered.

Stephen and Cutter exchanged wary glances. If this plan was going to work, one of them would have to go down there, with a very pissed off Tyrannosaurus.

* * * *

“You’re going to do what?” Abby asked. Cutter had rung ten minutes ago and despite Jenny’s best efforts the other woman hadn’t let her talk to Cutter or told her what was going on.

They were outside at the soldier’s makeshift base. Lt. Simpson had reported back on the team’s location and they had enough weaponry to launch a small war if they so desired. Jenny just hoped that it would be enough; she’d become rather fond of this strange bunch of scientists.

Two men approached the perimeter – one wearing a rather incongruous-looking hat. It must be the palaeontologists they were waiting for. And there was a phrase she never expected to become part of her regular vocabulary.

Jenny turned back to Abby but she was still engaged in a rather heated debate with Cutter. She looked over at the two men – at least this was something she was good at.

“Dr Grant? Dr Brennan?” she called. They walked over to her and shook hands. “Jenny Lewis. I understand you know a thing or two about T.Rex’s?”

“I’ve dealt with more than my fair share,” Alan told her. “Where…” He was interrupted by a roar followed by several harsh sounding thumps. “…never mind.”

Billy was surveying the set up. They were certainly well-armed, but in his experience that didn’t also mean well-prepared.

“These guys do know what they’re up against, right?” he asked Jenny.

Captain Atwood answered before she could. “Don’t worry son, this isn’t our first dinosaur.”

Alan looked between him and Jenny in surprise. “Just how often are these…anomalies…opening?”

“More often than we’d like,” Jenny replied. “We’re working on a way to predict them, but at the moment…” She trailed off as the sounds inside the ARC grew even louder.

“I take it you want to lead it out here? And kill it?” Alan’s arms swung out to encompass the military presence.

“That’s the general idea,” Atwood concurred.

“Only it’s not going to be that simple,” Abby told them, hanging up the phone.

“It never is where Cutter’s involved,” Jenny replied.

“What’s the problem?” Billy asked, smiling brightly at her. Abby couldn’t help but return it before getting down to business.

“They want the T.Rex to go out of those main doors,” Abby told them, pointing. “But they’re locked. From the inside.”

Atwood groaned. “I told Lester we needed an emergency lock on those bloody things. Red tape coming out of his arse, that man.”

Abby stifled a giggle at the image.

“So what are they going to do?” Billy asked.

“Open them,” Abby replied.

Billy and Alan looked at each other.

“And how close are they to the doors?”

“Not nearly close enough,” Jenny told them.

Everyone remained silent for a beat; even the T.Rex seemed subdued.

“So, how can we help?” Alan finally asked.

“We need to come up with a way of attracting its attention and getting it out here in the open,” Abby explained. “That’s where you two come in.”

* * * *

“We could draw straws?” Connor suggested. He didn’t much fancy going out there on his own, but he didn’t want the others to think he was a coward.

“No need,” Cutter said. “I’m going.”

“What?” Stephen spluttered. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m…”

“No arguments, Stephen. I’m going.”

Stephen sighed in frustration and ran his fingers through his hair. Cutter would choose now to be his normal pig-headed self.

Cutter slowly stood up and started to make his way towards the door. For the time being the T.Rex was looking the other way.

“Cutter, wait,” Stephen called. He hurried over to the other man.

“Stephen. I’ve already told you…”

But Stephen ignored him, instead pulling him into a kiss that took his breath away. Stephen deepened it, his tongue slipping inside Cutter’s mouth and Cutter responded with enthusiasm, his hands trailing down Stephen’s sides and settling on his hips. He didn’t notice that Stephen was carefully steering him away from the door until Stephen broke the kiss and stepped back. His brain stuck on a gear too slow Cutter stared at the younger man, uncomprehending.

“Sorry,” Stephen said. Then he turned and ran from the room, slipping down onto the walkway.

“Stephen!” Cutter yelled, but it was too late. “Damn it.”

Connor and Lester, who’d been looking anywhere except at the two men kissing, jumped up as Stephen ran out. The T.Rex saw them and roared, which gave Stephen, who was now proceeding at a slow but steady pace down the walkway, his back to the wall, ample time to get halfway down.

As the T.Rex lunged for the other three and they all ran to the back of the room, it’s tail soared up and Stephen was forced to roll out of the way. He winced as his shoulder was jolted by the impact but he kept on going. While the T.Rex was distracted he had his best chance of opening the door. He just hoped those on the other side were ready.

* * * *

“Flares,” Alan was saying, “we need flares. They’ll draw it out.” He looked up at the rapidly darkening sky. Night was fast approaching.

“Well, Simpson, you heard the man,” Atwood commanded.

“You’re going to do what you did to save the kids?” Billy asked him, keeping an eye on proceedings. Alan nodded.

“I don’t know of a better way of getting it to come out here.”

“Would food help?” Abby asked. “They have a pretty good sense of smell, don’t they?”

“Some people think so,” Billy replied. He turned to Alan. “It’s worth a shot.”

Alan nodded. “But where would we get a meal for a T.Rex at this time of night?”

“I know just the place,” Abby replied with a grin. “Billy, want to give me a hand?”

“Sure,” Billy replied. Alan watched them race off with a fond smile.

“Do you think it will work?” Jenny asked him.

Alan looked to where she was pointing. The Special Forces team had put ropes on the doors and leveraged themselves so they’d feel the slightest change in the door’s fastenings. Then all they had to do was pull for all they were worth.

“It’s as good a plan as any,” he said. He couldn’t quite figure out what Jenny’s role was in all of this. She didn’t behave like a scientist, and she certainly wasn’t dressed like one - short skirt and tight top and walking around in stockinged feet.

“I hope you’re right,” Jenny whispered, almost to herself. “I really hope you’re right.”

* * * *

Stephen picked himself up with a groan and ran down the last section of the walkway. He was too afraid to turn back now – knowing that doing so would only serve to distract him from his goal.

Two rectangular metal poles locked the door before him. All he needed to do was lift them out of their slots. If everything went according to plan he wouldn’t even have to move them both, just one should loosen it enough. At least, that’s what Connor had thought.

Not for the first time praying that Connor was right, Stephen shifted his weight and lifted the first pole. It was a lot heavier than he’d thought it would be. He strained to keep it in his grip and was convinced he could feel the T.Rex’s breath against his neck. He shivered, then put all of his strength behind one final, desperate push.

Up in Lester’s office the rest of the team were hollering and waving their arms, desperate to distract the dinosaur from Stephen’s presence. Cutter could see that Stephen was struggling and wished he could be down there helping, but was there no way to get down there safely now.

A sharp clanging sound startled them all. Stephen had removed the first pole and was working on the second. The T.Rex must have sensed something wasn’t right because it began to turn around. It was a laborious process and one that Stephen had his back to. Before the others could shout a warning the T.Rex’s tail had swung around and caught Stephen’s back, knocking him to the ground. Hard.

“Stephen!” Connor shouted, rushing forward. Cutter held him back. “But we can’t just…” Connor struggled in the other man’s tight grip.

“We need to draw attention away…”

“Right,” Connor replied and slipped out of his jacket, leaving it flapping uselessly in Cutter’s hands. He rushed out onto the walkway and started jumping about. “Oi! You!” he shouted. “Up here!”

Stephen, lying on his back, could just make out what Connor was doing. He had to smile even as he wished that Connor would get back to safety.

The T.Rex leaned over him and Stephen fought very hard to keep still, though all he wanted to do was run as far away as possible.

The T.Rex’s roar near on deafened him, but still he stayed where he was, hardly daring to breathe. The dinosaur seemed to be having trouble making up his mind who would be the better snack, him or Connor.

But before it had the chance to choose, metallic grating gave them the first indication that the plan had worked; the doors were opening.

This movement caught the T.Rex’s attention and Stephen began to slowly shift backwards, using his elbows to drag himself across the floor. Connor had stopped making noise and was joined by Cutter and Lester on the walkway. All of them warily watched the T.Rex, their senses straining for any sense of renewed danger. Stephen started moving backwards some more when he heard something that made him pause. He couldn’t be certain, but it sounded, well it sounded like a goat.

Stephen’s suspicions were confirmed as one wandered in through the rapidly opening door.

“What the - ” he muttered.

The first goat was joined by a second and then a third and before the door was fully opened the T.Rex was lunging out, no doubt in search of fresh food.

Cutter and Connor ran down the walkway whilst Lester followed at a much more leisurely pace.

“Stephen, are you all right?” Cutter asked.

“I think so,” Stephen replied, struggling to sit up.

“Idiot,” Cutter said, before planting a kiss on his forehead. “I’d make you promise not to do that again, but I don’t want to make a liar out of you.”

Stephen grinned sheepishly. “You all helped,” he replied as Cutter and Connor helped him up. “What do you think they’ve got planned for the T.Rex?”

Before anyone could answer they heard Captain Atwood shouting. “Steady…steady…Now!”

A massive explosion rocked the ground and all four of them ducked as debris came flying through the room, drenching them in blood and bits of flesh.

“Gross!” Connor exclaimed, part disgusted, part thrilled.

“The military never does anything by halves,” Lester complained, looking down at his once immaculate suit, which was now looking anything but.

“Could be worse,” Stephen observed, earning himself a withering stare.

“Cutter! Connor! Stephen!” Abby called. She rushed into the room, looking as dishevelled as them. “Are you all right?”

“We’re fine,” Cutter replied. “How about you?”

“I’ve certainly had better days,” Jenny answered. She hobbled into the room looking far worse than Cutter had ever seen her. “Not a word,” she warned.

Cutter was distracted from replying by the entrance of two men. He recognised them immediately.

“Dr Grant. Dr Brennan.” He walked over to them, followed by Stephen. “Nick Cutter.” He shook their hands. “This is my…partner…Stephen Hart.”

Stephen shot Cutter a sideways glance that said they’d be having a conversation later, but for now he made no comment.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Professor Cutter,” Alan replied. “Though I hadn’t been expecting quite so lively an introduction.”

Cutter grinned, his eyes crinkling. “Aye, well, I wasn’t exactly expecting it myself. How about we get cleaned up and then we all go out for that meal I promised you. I’ll explain everything then.”

“After you’ve signed the Official Secrets Act,” Lester interrupted.

Cutter rolled his eyes. “After you’ve signed the Official Secrets Act.”

“Of course,” Alan replied.

“I’ll show you to the showers,” Cutter said.

Alan took off his hat, shook the dirt from it, then put it back on his head. He grinned at Billy and Billy grinned back. This was proving to be an especially interesting trip. He couldn’t imagine what new discoveries lay in store.

As he followed Cutter through the ARC he couldn’t help whispering to Billy that that T.Rex had seemed much more alive than the genetic monstrosities they’d encountered before. Billy had to agree.


End file.
